Machine for operating on lasts



Dec. 20, 1932. I HQLMGREN 1,891,263

MACHINE FOR OPERATING 0N 'LASTS Filed March 12. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l Dec. 20, 1932.

E. A. HOLMGREN 1,891,263

MACHINE FOR OPERATING ON LASTS Filed March 12. 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 -//\/\/E/V YURI gi 074,1

Patented Dec. 20, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ERIC A. I-IOLMGREN, OF LYNN, IVIASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGIIOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHIN- ERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW J JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY MACHINE FOE OPERATING ON LASTS Application filed March 12, 1930. Serial No. 435,301.

This invention relates to machines for operating on lasts. The invention is herein illustrated as embodied in a machine particularly adapted for use in assembling the foreparts and heel parts of separable lasts of the general type disclosed in copending application Serial No. 386,034, filed August 15, 1929, in the name of G. P. S. Cross, such last-s having foreparts and heel parts which are held in assembled relation by means comprising a latch that is controllable from within the jack pin thimble hole in the heel part of the last and having also interengaging bonding devices which are disengageable after release of the latch to disconnect the last parts and to effect separation or disassembly of those'parts by relative tilting and sliding movements thereof. Moreover, the illustrated machine is also particularly adapted to operate upon a separable last of the general type above mentioned, after the parts of the last have been separately inserted in a shoe which is in the process of being manufactured, to seat the last in the shoe and to effect inter-engagement of the bonding elements of the last. The invention, however, is not necessarily limited to machines for use in assembling the parts of last-s of the particular type disclosed in the application referred to inasmuch as machines embodying certain features of the invention may be useful in operating upon movable-heel-part lasts wherein the heel parts are movable to expand or collapse the last but are not necessarily capable of being entirely disconnected. Neither is'the invention necessarily limited to embodiment in machines for relatively moving last parts for the purpose of assembling or expanding them since machines embodying certain features of the invention are applicable to performing disassembling or collapsing operations upon separable or other movable heel part last-s.

In the the typedisclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,706,504, granted March 26, 1929 upon application of G. E. Warren, the fore part of a separable last is placed in the upper of a shoe to which the insole and counter 59 have been secured at the heel end, and theremanufacture of boots and shoes of after the heel part of the last is placed on a ack pin and inserted in the shoe. The heel part of the last must then be seated in the shoe and the last parts relatively moved to interengage their bonding elements. Such seating of the last and relative movement of the parts is diiiicult to accomplish manually because such operations involve more or less stretching of the upper by the last. Moreover, in assembling the parts of a separable last such as that disclosed in the above-mentioned application Serial No. 386,034, it is essential that one of the last parts he tilted relatively to the other part to permit the bonding means to be positioned so that they may be interengaged and the assembling of the last parts completed by sliding them heightwise relatively to each other. These relative tilting and sliding movements likewise involve more or less stretching of the upper and for that reason are difficult to perform manually.

In view of the foregoing one object of the present invention is to provide a machine which will be adapted for use in assembling 1he foreparts and heel parts of separable asts. I

To the accomplishment of this object one feature of the invention consists in the pro vision, in a machine for operating upon lasts of the type in which the forepart and the heel. part are relatively movable, of means for supporting one of the parts of such a last and means for efiecting first a relative tilting movement and thereafter a relative sliding movement between the last parts. In the illustrated machine the heel part of a separable last which, together with the forepart of the last has been manually inserted in a shoe, is supported upon a jack pin and the relative tilting and sliding movements of the last parts are effected by members which are moved by treadle-operatedmechanism into engagement with the portion of the shoe bottom that overlies the forepart of the last.

As hereinbefore explained, the separable lasts upon which the illustrated machine is designed to operate are provided each with a latch for holding its forepart and heel part in assembled relation. This latch, as

hereinafter explained, differs somewhat in construction from that disclosed in the abovementioned application Serial No. 386,034, and comprises a spring-pressed latch pin which is carried by the heel part of the last and which must be thrust against the resistance of the spring into position for preliminary interengagement with the forepart of the last before the last parts can be assembled and which must thereafter be retracted by the spring into effective latching position. To enable the latch pin to be operated as above indicated, the jack pin of the illus trated machine carries a member which is controlled by the treadle already referred to and is arranged operatively to engage a portion of the latch pin that projects into the jack pin thimble hole of the last. Furthermore, the illustrated machine is also provided with means, operated by the aforesaid treadle, for seating the heel part of the last in the shoe and holding the shoe against displacement during the assembly of the last parts.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the machine in inoperative position; and,

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the head of the machine showing the parts in operative position.

The illustrated last 3 is of substantially the same construction as the last disclosed in the above-mentioned application except in certain respects which will hereinafter be fully described. The heel part 4 and forepart 5 of the last are provided at their contacting faces with interengaging bonding elements. A plate 6 which is secured to the forward face of the heel part 4 by screws 8 and 10 has journaled therein a latch pin 12 which is urged toward the plate 6 by means of a coiled spring 14. The latch pin 12 and the recessed slot in the plate 16 constitute the latch or locking means for holding the last parts together: The latch pin 12 in the illustrated last operates to hold the last parts together to prevent "accidental sliding movement of Y the last parts as does the pivoted latch in the above-mentioned application. The head of the latch pin 12 enters a recessed slot in the plate 16 which is secured to the adjacent face of the forepart 5 by screws 15. The end of the plate 16 adjacent to the cone of the last is l1ool-:shaped as shown at 18 and is slotted longitudinally for the reception of the shank of the screw 8. The hook 18 and the screw 8 act to prevent the separation of the heel part 4 and the forepart 5 while a shoe mounted thereon is in the process of manufacture. The plate 6 is provided with a projection 19 which enters a depression in the plate 16 to prevent relative sliding movement of the last parts and also to prevent rotation of the forepart relatively to the heel part about an axis extending longitudinally of the last. The assembly of the illustrated last is accomplished by forcing the latch pin 12 forwardly and away from the plate 6. The forepart of the last is then tilted about a substantially horizontal axis and the shank of the screw 8 is positioned in the slot formed in the hookshaped portion 18. The parts of the last are now in a position to be moved relatively to each other by a sliding movement so that the projection 19 on the plate 6 will be positioned opposite to the depression in the plate 16. The forepart of t 1e shoe is then tilted rearwardly so that the adjacent faces of the last parts are in contact with each other substantially throughout their entire areas. The latch pin 12 is then released in order that its head may seat in the recess in the plate 16 to complete the bonding of the parts of the last.

The illustrated machine for assembling parts of separable lasts is provided with a base 24 which is extended vertically to form a hollow standard 26 to which the head 28 of the machine is secured by screws or studs 29. The head 28 is formed with a pair of vertical arms 30 and 32.

A hollow jack pin 34 is secured to the upper end of the arm 30. The jack pin 34 is slotted at its front face for the reception of a pivoted dog 36 which when forced outwardly by upward movement of a rod 38, engages the latch bar 12 and functions to unlock the parts of the last. The vertically slidable rod 38 is adjustably secured to a lever 40 and is urged downwardly by a spiral spring 42. The dog 36 is pivoted at 44 to the jack pin 34 and is forced toward the rear wall 46 of the jack pin by a spring 48 when the rod 38 is in the position shown in Fig. 2.

A treadle 50 through which the machine is operated is pivotally secured to the base 24. of the mach ne and one end of a treadle rod 52 is adjustably secured to the treadle at 53. A heavy spring 55 is secured at one end to the treadle 50 and at its other end to the machine column 26 to hold the treadle in the position shown in Fig. 1 when pressure is not applied thereto. The upper end of the treadle rod 52 is secured to one end of a lever 54 by means of a pin 56 and the lever 54 is fulcrumed in the head 28 of the machine by means of a. pin 58 journaled in suitable bearings in the machine head. The other end of the lever 54 is provided with a pivotally mounted block 62 which slides in a slot or recess 64 formed in one arm of the bell crank lever 66 which is fulcrumed at 67 in suitable bearings in the machine head 28. The oher arm of the hell crank lever 66 is secured to the lower end of a link 70 by a stud 68. The upper end of the link 70 is pivotally secured at 72 to the rear end of the lever 74 which is fulcrumed to the vertical arm 32 at 7 6 by suitable bearings.

The forward arm 78 of the lever 7 4 is provided with pressing members which engage the bottom of the last 3 or the insole of a shoe placed thereon. The heel pressing member 80 1s yieldingly mounted on the lever arm 78 through a plunger 82 which is loosely'journaled in the arm 7 8. Surrounding the plunger 82 is a spiral spring 84 which acts to urge the pressing member 80 away from the arm 78. The pin 86 journaled in the upper end of the plunger 82 limits the upward movement of the plunger by contact with the hearing surface 88 formed on the upper surface of the lever arm 78. The presser member 80 "acts to seat the insole and counter of the shoe securely on the last and holds it to prevent displacement or crawling of the shoe during the last assembling operation.

A forepart presser member, in the form of a roll 89, engages the forepart of the last at approximately the ball line thereof to tilt the last about a substantially horizontal axis to permit the projection 19 on the heel part to clear the bonding means on the forepart of the last. The roll 89 is connected to one end 'mits movement of the presser member 89 relatively to the lever arm 78. This yieldablc connection comprises a stud 98 iournaled in the lever arm 78 and held in position by nuts 100 and 102. A spiral spring 104 encircles the stud 98 and presses against the nut 100 and the closed end of the U-shaped yoke 94 to hold yieldingly the yoke 94 and lever 90 in the position sh own in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The extent of movement of the yoke 94 due to the action of the spring 104 is determined by the adiustinn; nut 106 which is locked in position by a lock nut 108. The shank engaging presser member 110 is rigidly mounted on the end of the lever arm 78;

The above-mentioned lever is operated to move the unlockingpin 38 by means of cam surfaces located on the hell crank lever 66 as will presently be described. Thelever 40 is fulcrumed through suitable bearings by a pin 112 journaled in the head 28 of the machine. The lever 40 is normally held in the position shown in 2 by a spring 113. A link 114 carrying a cam roller 116 is pivotally connected to the arm 118 of the lever 40 at 120. The other end of the link 114 is pivotally secured to a link 122 which is connected to the vertical arm 32. The cam roller 116 engages cam surfaces on the member 124 which is rotatably mounted ona stud 126 fixed to the upper arm of the bell crank lever 66. This member 124 is normally held against a stop 128 formed on the bell crank lever 66 by a spring 130 secured at one end to a lug 132 forming a part of the member 124. The other end of the spring 130 is fastened to the bell crank lever 66 by a pin 134.

When the toggle is being straightened the cam surface 136 on the member 124 engages the roller 116 and forces the link 114 downwardly against the action of the spring 113. The rod 38 is thereby moved upwardly and moves the latch 36 outwardly to engage the latch pin 12 which unlocks the bonding means on the last and permits the parts of the last 3 to be assembled by the action of the presser members. When the toggle has been straightened as shown in Fig. 2 the cam surface 136 no longer engages the cam roller 116. A headed plunger 138 slidably mounted in a boss 140 journaled in the lower arm of the bell crank 66 then contacts with the lever 40 at 142 to move the rod 38 downwardly to permit the parts of the last to be locked. The rod 38 is moved'downwardly until the lever40 strikes a stop 143 thus limiting the downward movement of the rod 38.

The plunger 138 is forced outivardly by the spring 144 and acts to break the toggle when pressure on the treadle is released. When the toggle is broken the cam surface 146 engages the under side of the cam roller 116 to hold the rod 38 in the position shown in Fig. 2.

Although the machine has been described in detail, it may be well to summarize briefly the operation of the machine. A shoe upper is placed over the forepart and heel part of a separable last 3 and the heel part of the last is placed on the machine with the jack pin 34 entering the jack pin hole in the heel part of the last. The last and upper are then in osition to be operated upon by the presser rollers 80, 89 and 110. The treadle 50 is de pressed by the operator causing the toggle links 66 and to straighten to the position shown in Fig. 2. During this movement the cam surface 136 has engaged the cam roller 116 causing the rod 38 to move the dog 36 outwardly to disengage the bonding means in the last. As soon as the bonding means is disengaged the presser roller contacts with the heel end of the insole to maintain the heel part of the upper against displacement and also to maintain the heel part of the last on the jack pin. The forepart of the last is then tilted about a substantially horizontal axis by the presser roller 89 which presses against the forepart at substantially the ball line of the last. The roller 110 then engages the shank portion of the last bottom to move the forepart relatively to the heel part into the position shown in Fig. 2. As the movement of the roller 110 is completed, the cam surface 136 slides off the roller 116. The plunger 138 forces the lever arm 118 upeso' wardly and withdraws the rod 38 from its upper position to lock the parts of the last together. When the pressure on the treadle is released, the action of the spring 1 14 on the plunger 138 together with the action of the spring breaks the toggle. The cam surface 146 then rides under the cam roller 116 and, through the link 114 and lever 40, holds the rod 38 in its lower position. The lever 74 is swung upwardly from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position shown in Fig. 1. The assembled last and upper may then be remoi'ed from the machine and another last and upper inserted.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a machine for operating on lasts, means for supporting one part of a last, and

means constructed and arranged for first relatively tilting and thereafter relatively sliding the last parts.

2. In a machine 'lor operating upon separable lasts, means for supporting a last, means constructed and arranged to tilt one part of the last relatively to the other part, and means arranged to impart a relative sliding movement to the last parts.

3. In a machine for operating upon separable lasts having interengaging members releasable by relative rotary movement of the last parts and having also a latch for assisting in holding the foreparts and heel parts of such lasts in assembled relation, means for supporting one of said last parts, means for releasing said latch, and means for relatively tilting the last parts to change the corelation of said interengaging members.

4. In a machine for operating upon separable lasts having interengaging members releasable by relative rotary movement of the last parts and having also a latch for assisting in holding the toreparts and heel parts of such lasts in assembled relation, means for supporting one of said last parts, means for releasing said latch, and means for relatively tilting and sliding the last parts to change the corelation of said inter-engaging members.

In a machine for operating upon lasts, means for supporting the heel part of a last, and a plurality of members adapted to press successively against the heel part of the last and the torepart of the last relatively to move the last parts.

6. In a machine for operating upon the parts of a separable last, means for supporting the heel part of a last, and a plurality of means adapted to press successively against the heel end of the last, the forepart of the last adjacent to the ball line, and the shank portion of the forepart relatively to move the parts of the last.

7. In a machine for operating upon the parts of separable lasts, a support for the heel part of a last, means constructed and arranged to rotate the forepart of the last, and means for imparting a sliding movement to the forepart of the last.

8. In a machine for operating upon the parts of separable lasts having interengaging bonding members, a support for one of said last parts, and a lever having means thereon adapted to contact with the bottom of the last to impart relative tilting and sliding movement to the last parts.

9. In a machine for operating upon the foreparts and heel parts of separable lasts of the type having interengageable bonding elements adapted to be engaged by relative tilting and sliding movement of the last parts, a jack for supporting the heel part of such a last, a member adapted to enga e the forepart of the last, and means for ellecting relative movement between said member and the jack for relatively tilting and sliding the last parts.

10. In a machine for operating upon parts having interengaging bonding elements and a latch arranged normally to hold the bonding elements in engagement, means adapted to engage the heel end of the last, means for relatively tilting the last parts, and means for relatively sliding the last parts.

11. In a. machine for operating upon the foreparts and the heel parts of separable lasts having interengaging bonding elements and a latch for assisting in holding the last parts together, means for supporting one of the last parts, means for releasing the latch, and means for relatively tilting and sliding the last parts to engage said bonding elemeans.

12. In a machine for operating upon lasts having interengaging bonding elements and a latch arranged normally to hold the bonding elements in engagement, means for positioning the latch to allow relative movement of the last parts, means for relatively tilting the last parts. means for relatively sliding the last parts, and means for releasingsaid positioning means to allow the latch to hold the bonding elements in engagement.

13. In a machine for operating upon the foreparts and heel parts of separable lasts having interengaging bonding elements and a latch releasable from within the jack pin hole in the heel part of the last for assisting in. holding the last parts together, a jack pin for entering the jaclr pin hole in the heel part of the last to support the last. means carried by the jack pin for releasing the latch, and means for relatively tilting and sliding the last parts to disengage said bonding elements.

14. In a machine for operating upon separable lasts having shoes thereon and having interengaging bonding elements and a latch, means for supporting one part of the last, means for positioning the latch to permit 15. In a machine for operating upon lasts having interengaging bonding elements and a latch arranged normally to hold the bonding elements in engagement, means adapted to engage the heel end of the last, means for positioning the latch to allow relative movement of the last parts, means for relatively tilting the last parts, means for relatively sliding the last parts, and means for releasing said positioning means to allow the latch to hold the bonding elements in engagement.

16. In a machine for operating upon parts of separable lasts, a jack pin for supporting the heel part of a last, a pivoted member constructed and arranged to engage the bonding means of the last to unlock the same, and means constructed and arranged to impart a relative rectilinear sliding movement to the last parts.

17. In a machine for operating upon separable lasts, means for positioning the heel part of a last on the machine, a member engaging the heel end of the last bottom to hold the same in position, a second member adapted to engage the forepart of the last to tilt the forepart, and a member adapted to engage the shank along the forepart of the last to force the last parts together.

18. In a machine for operating upon a last, a heel jack pin, a slot in one Wall of the jack pin, a pivoted dog mounted in the slot, a rod arranged Within the jack pin to engage the pivoted dog and adapted to move the dog to engage locking means in the last, and means constructed and arranged to move the forepart of the last relatively to the heel part.

19. In a machine for operating upon lasts, a jack pin, a member pivotally mounted in said jack pin, a rod movable Within the ack pin and adapted to move the pivoted member against a plunger in the last to unlock the same, and a toggle operated lever having means thereon adapted to contact With the bottom of the last to force the partsof the last together.

20. In a machine for operating upon separable lasts, a vertical arm, a ack pin mounted on the arm and adapted to enter the jack pin hole of a last, a pivoted member mounted in the jack pin and adapted to engage a look ing means in the last, a rod arranged to en gage the pivoted member, and a lever constructed and arranged to be swung toward and into engagement With the bottom of the last.

21. In a machine for operating upon separable lasts, a jack pin, a pivoted member mounted in the jack pin and arranged to engage the locking means of a last, a member adapted to engage the heel end of the bottom of the last to maintain the heel end of the, last 1 against displacement, a second member constructed and arranged to contact with the forepart of the last to tilt the same, and a member constructed and arranged to move the heel part and the forepart of the last.

22. In a machine for operating upon lasts, means for supporting the heel part of a last, an arm arranged for movement toward the last bottom, a member yieldingly mounted on the arm and adapted to engage the heel end of the last, a second member yieldingly mounted on the arm forwardly of the first mentioned memberv and adapted to engage the forepart of the last to tilt the same about a substantially horizontal axis, and a third member secured to the arm and adapted to engage the Jiorepart rearwardly of the second member to slide the forepart relatively to the heel part.

23. In a machine for operating upon separable lasts, a hollow jack pin for supporting the heel part of a last, means mounted Within the jack pin to disengage locking means Within the last, and a lever constructed and arranged to be operated by a toggle and having means thereon constructed and arranged to engage the last bottom to force the last parts together.

24. In a machine for operating upon parts of separable lasts having interengaging bonding elements and having also a latch pin for assisting in holding the foreparts and heel parts of such lasts in assembled relation, a jack pin for entering the jack pin hole in such a last, and treadle operated means constructed and arranged first to release the latch pin and then to tilt and slide the last parts into assembled position.

25. In a machine for operating upon sep-e arable lasts having shoes thereon, means for supporting the heel part of such a last, means for seating the heel part of the shoe on the last, and means constructed and arranged relatively to move the last parts after the peel part or the shoe has been seated on the ast.

26. In a machine for operating upon separable lasts having shoes thereon, means for supporting one part of such a last, means for seating the heel part of the shoe on the last, and means for relatively tilting and sliding the last parts.

27. In a machine for operating upon separable lasts having shoes thereon, means for supporting the heel part of such a last, means for seating the heel part of the shoe on the last, and means for relatively tilting and sliding the parts of the last.

28. In a machine for operating upon separable lasts having interengaging bonding elements and having an upper thereon, means for supporting the heel part of such a last, means for seating the heel part of the upper upon the last, and means for relatively mov- 'ing the last parts to interengage the bonding elements of the last after the heel part of the upper has been seated on the last.

29. In a machine for operating upon separable lasts having interengaging bonding elements and having an upper thereon, means for supporting the heel part of such a last, means for seating the heel part of the upper on the last, and means for relatively tilting and sliding the last parts to interengage the bonding elements of the last.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ERIC A. HOLMGREN. 

